Safety-stop for vehicles.



A. L. STEVENS.

SAFETY STDP FOR VEHICLES.

Patented Aug. I3, l90l.

(Applicntiun filnd June 4, 1900.]

(No Model.)

min m WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES ARTHUR L. STEVENS,

SAFETY-STOP PATENT OFFICE.

or New YORK, N. Y.

F-OR VEHICLES.

srn'cmcarzon forming m of Lewis Patent No. 680,444, dated August 13, 1 901.

lpplicatipn filed June 4, 1900.

To all whom, it may concern:

' J Be it known that I, ARTHUR L. STEVENS, a

citizen of the United States of-America, resiliing at the borough of Manhattan, city of-New York, State of; New York, have invented certain newand' useful Improvements in Safety Stops for-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification Jljhis invention relates to safety-stop mechani'sm adapted to control electric or other power. used to propel automobile vehicles, and has for its principal object to provide simple, eflicient, and durable devices which prevent running away of the vehicle should the motorman byaccidentbe thrown from his place of control or should the ordinary current-controller of an electric vehicle become accidentally deranged. A further object is to provide auxiliary devices preventing tampering with the power applying mechanism by inquisitive or mischievous. people when the motorman intentionally leaves the vehicle. 7

The invention consists in novel safety-stop devices so constructed and combined with a movable seat or platform operated by the weight or pressure of a motorman controlling the vehicle-propelling mechanism that said mechanism will be made inoperative when the iary means or mechanism whereby the promotorman-leaves the movable seat or platform either by accident or intention.-

Theinyention also includes'"certain auxilpelling power canag'ain be coupled orapplied by readjn-sting the safety devices with a key, which is removable only when'the propelling'mechanism' is inoperative to prevent tampering with said mechanism. This key as normally adjusted is actuated, preferably, by the moto-rmansfoot for coupling the power-applying meanswhen he remountsor for uncoupling and coupling said power-applying means'at will during ordinary requirements or unusual emergencies of travel-and independently of any operation of the movable seat or plat-for! I' will more particularly describe my inven tion as applied to an electrically-propelled vehicle having a movable or yieldingseat-platform, which is depressed by the motorman' occupying it and which when relieved of his Serial No.'19,034. (No model.)

'weight or pressure will cut off the propelling power.

drawings, formingpart of this specification,

in which I Figure l is a vertical sectional side view of vehicle having my improved safetystop devices. Fig. 2 is a partly-sectional side View, about one-half full size, of the safety-stop devices, with the key-shaft partly broken away and the wires removed from the opposing cona rotarypontrollirig-valve of asteam or other motor may be automatically closed to cnt off the propelling power. Fig. 3 is a front View at right angles to Figs. 1 and 2 cf the main parts of the mechanism omitting the keyand showing normal adjustment when an electric circuit is closed. parts of Fig. 3, but with the contacts separated to break the circuit and indicates also by dotted lines how the stem of a sliding valve of a steam, gasolene, or ot. er motor may be actuated by the tripped lever to cut olt the propelling'power. Fig. 5 is a' front view shown in normal locked position infulllincs and inunloeked removable position in dotted lines, and Fig. (5 is an view of the key.

Within the back 1, rising from the seatframe 2, is placed a motormans seat 25, which is preferably from t-hinged at 4: to frame 2 and is movable upward at its rear part by suitablesprin-g orsprin gs 5, placed between frame 2 and a logo! projection 6 on seat 3. The motorman-when occupying seat lowers it, as in full lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and when he leaves the seat the springo raises it, asindicated by dotted lines. To the seat-lug 6 is held the upper end of a rod 7, which has a slot 8 at its lower end; Through this shit passes a headed pin J, having a securingeotter 10 and loosely holding rod 7 to oncarln ll of a lever 12, which is fixed by a pin 13 to a shaft 14, which may turn in a standard 15 and bearing 16, preferably fastened t vehiole-body port-ion l'7-bencath seat Parts 12 14 thus always turn together. To the longer arm 18 of lever 12 is pivoted at 19 a block Reference is made to the accompanying tacts, and indicates also by dotted lines how- Fig. 4 is a front view ofportions of the body and seat of an electric of the key bearing and shaft with the key inner end or face opening 28 in the head of a or stud-20, fixedly carrying a'rod 21, which loosely passes through a swiveled guide 22, fitted at the head of standard 15. A nor mally-expanding spring 23 surrounds rod 21, and when the parts are adjusted-to permit propulsion of the vehicle this spring throws and locks arm 11 of lever 12 against a stop 24 on standard 15, at which time the center pivot 19 is forward of a plane cutting the center of shaft 14 and swivel 22 and indicated by the dotted liue'25 in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Another. stop 26 onstaudard 15 limits swinging of lever 12in the opposite direction." -'lhe forward end 27 of shaft 14 is suitably flattened and fits a correspondingly-shaped key 29, which norinally hangs from shaft 14 in"convenient position, as in Fig. I, to enable-the-motorman "onseat 3 to turn the key and shaft-together by"l isifoot or heel.

v v {prefer to-'make shaft "portion 27 and key-opening28 triangular in- :cwJss-scction. n -the-keyhead is formed a lip 30, part of Which-locks within-a transverse slot 31, formed in a'lug 32 on bearing-16, when i the-key has the normal .inwardly-slauting'position shown in full lines in Fig. 5 of the drawings. This lip does not extend fully around the key'head, but is lacking-or cut. away'to provide a flat face or shoulder 33,- which wheat-he key has the vertical dotted position 'of 5 may pass freely'over the fiiat'top 0f lug 32, thus permitting the keyto 'beremoved only when the power is switched "Oucut offlf from the vehicle-propelling mesh-- 'anism,-as"hereinafter more fully explained. 'The'sha'ft'end 27 stands at an =eyeleted open-' "ing of "aseat-a pron 34, which protects and v conceals the mechan'ism under'the seat while permitting operation of key 29.

'FOI'flD'BlGOtI'lG vehicle I provide on standard '15 a-contact. 35, codperating with an op-' posing contact- 36, held-to arm 18 of lever 12.

"Contact 35 is preferably screwed to an'insulating "wood block 37, fixed to part 15 and serving also as a guide to the movable contact. 36,- Wires 3839 connect, respectively, with posts 4041 on co'ntacts 35 36. Contact 36-isipreferably fitted in a rectangular open ing of lever-arm 18 and is forced toward contact 35 and block 37 by a flat spring 42, held 'to said arm, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4 of the drawings.

The-operation is as follows: Wewill suppose the motorman is on seat 3, thus depressing it and holding rod 7 down to the fullline position of Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The key 29 nowstands in the inclined full-line position of Fig. 5 and its lip 30 locks into bearing-lug's'lot 31, asin Figs. 2 and 5. Should the motorman fall from or leave the seat 3, the spring 5 instantlyraises it, thereby pulling rod 7 upward. This causes the bottom of rod-slot 8 to strike pin 9 and throw lever 12 over until the center of pin 19 passes the central plane line 25, whereupon the spring 23 instantly expands and, completes the full throw of lever 12 to stop 26, as shown in Fig.

completed through'wire's' 3.8 3,9 between the vehicle battery, controller, and motor(not shown) and prevents running away qfiithe vehicle. I The pin 9slip's upwardin sjlot.8, -of rod 7 during throw of 'lever 12 -by"sp rl ng 23.

Hence arcoinparatively slight upward'movementsay-about auinch-of seat '3 tothrow pivot 19 past line 25 assures full, positive, and

instant separation of the contacts by spring 23, whereby dangerous sparking at the-contacts is-o'bviated. The key 29 now stands at the vertical dotted position of Fig. 5. When the same or another motorman occupies. seit 3, it will-again be depressed', while the slot 8 of rod 7 moves --at ':pin 9 without hindrance.

When ready to=start,the motorman with his full line position-"of' Figr 5, which will turn shaft-14 and swing lever 12. back-,until the center at pivot 19. repasses plane line 25, whereupon spring 23 will throw and hold the lever to stop 24am} lock the contacts 36 35 together again te-complete the circ.uit. The

heei. will throw key 29from the dotted to the vehicle now may be electrically propelled faster or slower forward or backward, as the ordinary controller is adjusted to switch in varying currents in the well-known manner. In any sudden emergency of travelsu'ch,.for. instance, as danger-of collision or the sticking of the contact-cylinder of the -current-coutrolle r at a place preventing cuttiugout of the niotor*the motorman may-instantly cut otf the power by throwing key 29 from fullline to dotted position in Fig. 5,

thereby turning shaft Hand swinging lever 12-to separate contacts 36 35 and break the circuit, the'slot 8 of rod 7 permitting upward movement of lever-spin 9 during this operation.- The circuit thus may be broken and the power cut off byop'erati-ng the key 29 alone and independently of any movement man will simply move the key 29 over again to full-line position of Fig.5 to reestablish the circuit. a

When the motormau dismoun-ts ata desired stopping-place, the circuitvis broken and the IIO of the seat; When danger-is past, the motorkey 29 is turned to the dotted position of Fig.

5, as above described. This always turns the key-1i p 30 out of the bearing-slot31 and brings the key-shoulder 33 parallel with and above the top of ing 32, thereby allowing the-motorman to slip the key from the shaft 14 and retain it while he is away from the vehicle. The circuit now being broken at the safetystop devices and it being quite impossible to turn the-shaft l-t withthe fingers, the powerapplying mechanism cannot be started or be tampered with by unauthorized persons moving the controller while the motor-man is absent, and it takes but a few moments for him to readjust the key to the shaft andreniount to the seat and then turn the key to full-line position of Fig. 5, thereby again connecting.

contacts 36 35, and all now is ready for starthicle by means 1 p of the ordinary current-control er.

' f Means other than the spring'23 may be used to operate the lever 12 Within the scope of my invention It is obvious that-the emergency trip de-- vice herein described is adapted for use in connection with any form of yielding platform for the motorman to sit or stand upon 'or press against and adapted to Operate or permit operation of the emergency trip mechan-' ism when said platform is relieved of the weight orv pressure of the motorman. This operative function of the movable plat-form is made more valuable by the' ooperating auxiliary devices including the key by which the power may either be applied or cut olf and which is automatically locked against removal when the motivepower is turned on and is released'to permit its removal onlywhcn the power is turned on.

Y The parts herein marked 3 to 33, inclusive,

"are adapted for controlling operation of the supply-valve of a steam, gasolene, or other motor. In this case the parts to 42 may be omitted. As one example, the rotary inletvalve 50 in av motor-supply pipe 51' may be fined to the auxiliary-mechanism shaft 14 to be closed and opened by partial rotation of the'shaft, caused by rod 7 orkey 29,-and as will 'be under'stood'from the dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Another example is indicated by dotted lines .in Fig. 4, showing how the safety-stop lever 12. when thrown over by sprin 23 may strike a guided springpressed rod 5:3,which either directly or thro u gh an angle lever 53 and rod 5st may operate the slide-valve of a motor to cut off the propelling power.

I claim as my invention- 1. In.vehicle'safety-stops, the combination, with a seat or platform automatically movable when relieved of the weight or pressure of the nlotorman controlling the vehicle, and power mechanism adapted for propelling the vehicle, 0 interposed means making said power mcc ianism inoperative when the niotorman leaves the seat or platform, and auxiliary'deviccs including a movable-part of said interposed means, a key adapted to said movable part, and latch devices cooperating with said movable part and the key and permitting removal of the key only when the power mechanism is inoperative.

' 2. In vehicle safety-stops, the combination, with a seat or platform automatically movable when relieved of the weight or pressure .of the motorman controlling the vehicle, and

power mechanism adapted for propelling the vehicle, of interposed means making said power mechanism inoperative when too 1110- tornian leaves the seat or platform, and auxiliary devices including 'a movable part of said interposed means, a key adapted to said movable part, and latch devices cooperating with said movable part and the key and per- .ing adapted to adjust-the interposed means controlling thepower mechanism and render the latter operative or inoperative independently of movement of the vehicle seat or platform.

3. In vehicle safety-stops, the combination, with the power controlling mechanism including a key to manually operate the same to-turn the power on 'or off and removable only when the power is turned 0E, of an additional emergency trip automatically operative toturnoff the power, substantially as set forth.

4. In vehicle safety-stops, the combination, with the power-controlling mechanism including a key to manually operate the'same to turn the power on or off and removable only when the power is turned ofi, of an additional emergency trip operative to turn off the power, and a movable seat or platform on theyehicle constructed to operate the emergency trip when relieved of pressure, substantially as set forth.

5. A vehicle safety-stop comprising powercontrolling mechanism including an operating-key to normally turn the power on or OE, and devices to automatically lock the key in operative position when the power is turned on and to release it when the power is turned oth'and an additional'emergency trip automatically operative to turn off the power, substantially as set forth.

6. A vehicle safetystop comprising power- .controlling mechanism including an operating-key to normally turn the power on or oil, and devices to automatically lock the key in operative-position when the power is turned on and to release it when the power is turned 01?, an additional emergency trip automatically operative to turn off the power, and a movable seat or platform on the vehicle constructed to operate the emergency trip when relieved of pressure, substantially as set forth.

7. In vehicle safety-stops, the combination, with a movable seat or platform and powerapplying mechanism, of a slotted rod operated by the seat or platform, a lever loosely coupled to said rod at its slot, and means actuated by movement of the lever and making said power-applying mechanism inoperative when the seat or platform is relieved of pressure.

8. In vehicle safety-stops, the combination, with a movable seat or platform and powerapplying mechanism, of a slotted rod operated by the seat or platform, a spring-actuated lever loosely coupled to said rod at its slot, and means actuated by movement of the lever and making said power-applying mechanism inoperative when the scat or platform is relieved of pressure.

1;. In vehicle safety-stops, the combination,

with a movable seat or platform and powerapplying mechanism, of a slotted rod actution, with a movable seat or platform and zpo'wer-applying mechanism, of aslotted rod operated by .the seat or platform,"a. lever ;-loosely coupled tosaid rod at its slot, means actuated .by movement of the lever and making-thepower applying-mechanism inoperative when the seat or platform is relieved of pressure, a shaft movable with the lever, and

p .a keyadapted to said shaft and removable therefrom only when the power applying :0 .meohanis'm'is inoperative.

'11. In vehicle safety-stops, the .combination, with a movable seator platform and power-applying mechanism, of a slotted rod -o perat'ed by the seat or platform, aspring- :5 actuatedlever loosely coupled to said rod at its slot; means actuated by movement of the lever and making the power-applying mechanism inoperative when the seat or platform isrelieved of pressure, a shaft movable with the lever, anda key adapted to said-shaft and -r movable therefrom only when the powerapplying mechanism is inoperative. 12. In vehicle safety-stops, the combina- 3 tion, with a movable seat or platform and power-applying mechanism, of a slotted'rod operated by the. seat or platform, a lever loosely coupled to said rodat its slot, means actuated by-movement of the lever and making the power-applying mechanism inopera- 4o tive whenthe seat or platform is relieved of pressure, a shaft movable with the lever, and a key adapted to said shaft and removable therefrom only when the power-applying mechanism is inoperative; said keyalsoadapted to adjust said mechanism and render it operative or inoperative independently of movementbf the seat or platform.

13. In vehicle safety-stops, the combination, with a movable seat'or platform and power-applying mechanism, of a slotted rod operated by theseat or platform, a springactuatedlever loosely coupled to said rod at its slot, means actuated by movement of the I lever and making the power-applying mechanism inoperative when the seat or platform is relieved of pressure;a shaft movable with the lever, and a key adapted to said shaft and removable therefrom only when the powerapplying mechanism is inoperative; said key ooalso adapted to adjust said mechanism and render it operative or inoperative independently ofmovement of the seat or platform.

14. In vehicle safety-stops, the combination, with a movable seat or platform, rela- 6 5 tivelytsta'tionary and movable electric con- 'tacts, and circuit connections adapted to conpie said contacts to a battery and motor, of a slotted rod operated by the seat or platform,

and a lever loosely coupled to said red at its slot and carrying the movable contact.

15,- In vehicle safety-stops, the combination, with a movable seator platform, relatively stationary and movable electric contacts, andcircuit connections adapted to conple said contacts to a battery and motor, ofua slotted rod operated by the seat or platform, and a spring-actuated lever loosely coupled to said rod at its slot and carrying the movable contact. r

16. In vehicle safety-stops, the combination, with a movable seat or platform, relatively stationary and movable electric contacts, and circuit connections adapted to conple said contacts to a battery and motor, of a slotted rod operated-bythe seat or platform, aspring-actuated leverloosely coupled to said rod at its slot and carrying the movable contact, and stops limiting movement of the lever in both directions by the spring.

17. In vehicle safety-stops, the combination, with a movable seat or platform, a rod 7 operated thereby and having a slot 8, a standard, a lever fulcrumed to said standard and coupled by pin 9'to rod lat its slot 8, a block 20 pivoted at 19 to the lever and having a pin ard, a spring 23 on rod 21 between parts 20, 22, and means operated by the spring-acm 21, a guide 22 for pin'21 swiveled to the stand-' 7 ated lever for making the power-applying mechanism inoperative when the seat or platform is relieved of pressure.

18. In vehicle safety-stops, the combina tion, with a movable seat or platform, a rod 7 operated thereby and having slot 8, a stand-- ard, a lever fulcrumed to said standard and coupled by pin 9 to red 7 at its slot 8, a block 20 pivoted at 19 to the lever and having a pin- 21, a guide 22 for pin 21 swiveled to the standard, a spring 23 on rod '21 between parts 20,

22, electric contacts 35, 36 on the standard and lever respectively, and wires 38, 39 adapted to couple said contacts to the vehicle battery and motor.

19. In vehicle safety-stops, the combination, with a movable seat or platform and power-applyin g mechanism, of a rod operated by the seat or platform, bearings, a shaft rockingin said bearings, a lever-fixed to the shaft, means coupling said lever to the seat-rod, means actuated by the lever and making the power-applying mechanism inoperative when the seat or platform is relieved of pressure, av removable key'adapte'd to the lever-shaft to turn it or be turned by it and having a lip adapted to a slot of the shaft-bearing and also having a portion adapted to slip over or past said bearing when the lip is. disengaged from the bearing-slot as the power-applyin g m echanisinis made inoperative.

20. In vehicle safety-stops, the combinas' tion, with power-applying mechanism, bear: ings, a shaft journaled in said bearings, and

a lever turning with the shaft and adapted to I make the power mechanism operative or inoperative, of a key adapted ho turn'the shaft; only when the power mechanism is inoperaor be 'turned by it and having a. lip '30 and tive.

shoulder 33- the' adjacent shaft-bearin havr 1 r in'g alug 352 provided with slot 31 to vliich ARJHUR SLEVENS' the key-1ip 30 is adapted for locking the key XVitnesses:

to the shaft when the power mechanism is up A. F. MADDEN,

erative and permitting removal 'of the key A. J. DOTY. 

